Charles and Dean
Charles & Dean is a UK-based independent credit brokerage arranging personal vehicle finance and commercial funding up to £5 million by connecting customers with a panel of regulated lenders. It serves high-net-worth vehicle buyers and UK SMEs across multiple industry verticals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersStamford, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Charles and Dean does
Charles & Dean is a UK-based independent credit brokerage (not a lender) that connects individuals and businesses with a panel of lenders to arrange personal vehicle finance and commercial funding solutions. The firm is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under Firm Reference Number 653592 and is a member of the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (NACFB). Its customer base spans two primary segments: high-net-worth individuals seeking finance for sports, luxury, supercar, and classic vehicles, and UK SMEs to mid-market businesses requiring funding for assets, property, working capital, and growth. Disclosed scale metrics include £200 million+ financed in the last 12 months and over 7,500 individuals and businesses supported across the firm's roughly decade-long operating history.
Charles and Dean firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Charles and Dean
- Legal name
- Charles and Dean Ltd
- Website
- https://charlesanddean.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Charles & Dean is a UK-based independent credit brokerage arranging personal vehicle finance and commercial funding up to £5 million by connecting customers with a panel of regulated lenders. It serves high-net-worth vehicle buyers and UK SMEs across multiple industry verticals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Charles and Dean industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Credit Brokerage
- NAICS
- Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (522310), Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (52231)
- SIC
- Loan Brokers (6163), Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Auto & Vehicle Loan Brokerage (FSAEAEAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Retail Residential Mortgage Brokers (Purchase & Refinance) (FSALABAA)
Keywords
Where Charles and Dean is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stamford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Charles and Dean business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Commission from Lenders: Charles & Dean earns commission from lenders on the panel. Commission models include: fixed fee, fixed rate of commission, percentage of the amount borrowed, and rate for risk (based on risk profile of the application). No commission is taken until funding has been paid out. Commission details are disclosed to customers before they enter into finance agreements.
- Referral Commissions: If customers are referred by Appointed Representatives, Introducer Appointed Representatives, or Suppliers, Charles & Dean pays them a commission.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | No direct customer fees - commission-based model |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Charles and Dean product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Charles and Dean is a UK-based credit broker that arranges vehicle finance and business finance for customers by introducing them to a panel of lenders. It offers car finance products including hire purchase (HP), personal contract purchase (PCP), lease purchase, refinance, and balloon payment finance, alongside business finance such as asset finance, business mortgages, refinancing, and acquisitions finance. The firm earns commission from lenders on successful introductions and does not lend its own capital.
Product overview
Charles & Dean is a UK-based independent finance brokerage operating as a credit broker (not a lender) with a selected panel of lenders. The company offers two core product lines: Car Finance (covering HP Finance, PCP Finance, Lease Purchase, and Refinance options for Sport & Performance, Luxury & Prestige, Supercars, and Classic & Motorsport vehicles) and Business Finance (encompassing Asset Finance & Leasing, Commercial Mortgages, Property Finance, Bridging Loans, Investment Mortgages, Unsecured Business Loans, Invoice Finance, Supply Chain Finance, Growth Guarantee Scheme, Revolving Credit Facilities, Merchant Cash Advance, VAT Loans, and Corporation Tax Loans). Business Finance solutions are available across multiple industry sectors including Agriculture, Construction, Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics, Food & Beverage, and Hospitality. The company also offers supplementary services including the C&D Academy for training and a Knowledge Hub for educational resources. The firm is authorised and regulated by the FCA and operates with a panel of lenders from whom it receives commission.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Car Finance A consumer-facing brokerage service that arranges vehicle financing for individuals seeking new, used, prestige, luxury, performance, and classic cars. Customers apply online or via the broker team, and Charles and Dean sources competitive finance from a panel of lenders.
- Business Finance A commercial brokerage service that arranges finance for UK SMEs, including asset finance, business mortgages, business refinancing, and acquisitions finance across sectors such as automotive, agriculture, construction, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, professional services, and transport.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over £200 million financed in the last 12 months
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Charles and Dean
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Charles and Dean technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Charles and Dean partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Fix Auto UKcoreCharles & Dean partnered with Fix Auto UK to provide Franchise Partners with access to flexible, specialist funding solutions. This partnership enables Fix Auto franchisees to access tailored finance options for their business needs.
- NACFB (National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers)coreCharles & Dean is a member of the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers and adheres to their Code of Practice. This membership provides regulatory oversight and industry credibility.
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)coreCharles & Dean is authorised and regulated by the FCA under Firm Reference Number 653592, permitting them to act as a Credit Broker.
- PistonheadsminorPartnership with Pistonheads automotive platform for car finance referrals and brand visibility.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Charles and Dean competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- MotoNovo Finance: One of the UK's largest specialist motor finance lenders serving consumers and dealers. Functions as a panel funder for brokers like Charles & Dean and as a broader incumbent in the same market.
- Moneybarn: UK specialist vehicle finance lender (Vanquis Banking Group) focused on non-prime and near-prime consumers. Operates in the same vehicle finance ecosystem as Charles & Dean, both as a panel funder and adjacent product.
- White Oak UK: UK asset finance and commercial lending provider. Comparable to Charles & Dean's business finance arm in asset finance, hire purchase, and commercial lending products.
- Funding Circle: UK-listed (now private) small business loan platform. Comparable to Charles & Dean's commercial finance proposition in the UK SME lending space, though operating a direct marketplace model.
- Premium Credit: UK specialist finance provider for premium purchases (motor, insurance, healthcare). Adjacent to Charles & Dean's premium/luxury car finance proposition and operates with broker channels.
Direct peers
- Know Your Money: UK commercial finance broker helping SMEs access asset finance, invoice finance, and loans through a lender panel. Direct peer of Charles & Dean's business finance brokerage.
- Norton Finance: UK-based credit broker arranging personal and business finance through a panel of lenders. Closely comparable to Charles & Dean in dual consumer (vehicle) and commercial brokerage model and panel-driven commission revenue.
- Zuto: UK car finance broker (formerly Carloan 4U) that matches customers with motor finance lenders online. Direct competitor in the vehicle finance brokerage segment where Charles & Dean is active.
- Car Finance 247: UK online car finance broker arranging HP, PCP, and lease products via a lender panel. Direct competitor to Charles & Dean's car finance arm, especially in non-luxury segments.
Emerging players
- Funding Xchange: UK fintech operating a lending marketplace platform that connects brokers and lenders. Comparable to Charles & Dean through its broker-lender matching role; FXE is also Charles & Dean's technology partner.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Charles and Dean social profiles
Digital presenceCharles and Dean compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Charles and Dean financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Charles and Dean leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Charles and Dean funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Charles and Dean M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Charles and Dean
What does Charles and Dean do?
Charles and Dean is a UK-based credit broker that arranges vehicle finance and business finance for customers by introducing them to a panel of lenders. It offers car finance products including hire purchase (HP), personal contract purchase (PCP), lease purchase, refinance, and balloon payment finance, alongside business finance such as asset finance, business mortgages, refinancing, and acquisitions finance. The firm earns commission from lenders on successful introductions and does not lend its own capital.
Is Charles and Dean a public or private company?
Charles and Dean is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Charles and Dean founded?
Charles and Dean was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Charles and Dean based?
Charles and Dean is headquartered in Stamford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Charles and Dean make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Commission from Lenders are the primary driver. The others are referral Commissions.
Who are Charles and Dean's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are MotoNovo Finance, Moneybarn, White Oak UK, Funding Circle and Premium Credit. Direct peers are Know Your Money, Norton Finance, Zuto and Car Finance 247. Funding Xchange is listed as an emerging player.
Does Charles and Dean have an API?
No public API is recorded for Charles and Dean.
What industry is Charles and Dean in?
Charles and Dean's product category is Credit Brokerage. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEAEAK, Auto & Vehicle Loan Brokerage, with a secondary code of FSALABAA, Retail Residential Mortgage Brokers (Purchase & Refinance). Its NAICS code is 522310 and its SIC code is 6163.